Ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) and Opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Wednesday distributed tickets to their respective candidates to contest the by-election to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.
The last date for filing of nominations for the by-election slated for May 28 ends on Thursday. The process of filing nominations began on May 3.
The PDA issued ticket to its consensus candidate and former minister Tokheho Yepthomi at Kohima region office of its major partner Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) while NPF issued the party ticket to former Rajya Sabha member and parliamentary secretary Tourism C. Apok Jamir at its central office in Kohima.
The Congress has yet to decide on its candidate while Janata Dal (United) was likely to issue party ticket to its candidate for the by-election to the Lok Sabha seat.
The JD(U) in a press release said it will contest the election with the same manifesto that was released during the recently concluded Assembly election to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly. The party emerged winner in one seat in the last Assembly election.
The lone Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after incumbent Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio resigned in February to contest the state Assembly election on NDPP ticket. Rio won the seat in 2014 Lok Sabha election on NPF ticket.
NPF candidate C. Apok Jamir lost the February 2018 election from Mokokchung town Assembly constituency to NDPP candidate and present minister of urban development and municipal affairs Metsubo Jamir.
NDPP candidate Tokheho Yepthomi lost the last Assembly election from Dimapur-III constituency to NPF candidate Azheto Zhimomi.